Got a fourth grader? Then you’ve got a free pass to some of the most stunning parks and public lands in the country — and most people don’t even know about it. The Every Kid Outdoors program gives all fourth graders a pass to national parks and other federal lands and waters for one year, from September through August.

The pass grants access to more than 400 historic sites, nearly 200 million acres of national forests, wildlife refuges, monuments, conservation lands, reclamation areas like reservoirs and rivers, and even marine areas managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Every Kid Outdoors program targets fourth graders because research shows that kids ages nine to 11 are the perfect age to connect with nature and history. Their curiosity makes it an ideal time to explore. And research on participants shows that without free access, 73% of kids would never have visited a national park. Those who experience parks at age 10 are more likely to keep visiting throughout their lives.

According to the Every Kid Outdoors website, no matter where you are in the U.S., there’s a site within two hours. You can plan your trip by choosing between four categories: seeing protected animals, visiting the woods, exploring parks, or finding places to play. In Washington, that means access to Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, or Heybrook Lookout, among many others. 

The program, launched by the federal government in 2015, saw a 29% increase in free pass requests last year. And, for the first time, requests came from all 50 states, reaching more than 300,000 students.

Getting started is easy. Head to Every Kid Outdoors, complete a quick activity with your fourth grader, and print the pass. When you visit a park, just show it to a ranger or leave it on your dashboard. It covers all children under 16 and up to three adults. Teachers can print passes for their fourth grade entire class.

Several federal agencies support the Every Kid Outdoors program, including the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. You can learn more about their conservation work and find activities on their websites.